“If people are saying I’m the front-runner, that’s a beautiful thing. It’s more attention for the movie. I’m delighted to be the front-runner, may it all happen.” — J.K. Simmons backstage on his status as the favorite to win the supporting-actor Oscar for “Whiplash.”

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“Twenty-eight. I had just gotten out of Julliard and thought I could conquer the world. I didn’t know better. I didn’t know life was going to be hard yet. I liked bathing in that ignorance.” — Viola Davis backstage on what age she would choose to stay.

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“She has been more than a mother to me, not much, but definitely more.” — Carrie Fisher, presenting the lifetime achievement award to her mother Debbie Reynolds.

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“I can’t tell you what this means to me. I’m a fourth-generation actor. My family has been committed to acting for over a century, through feast or famine.” — Patricia Arquette, supporting actress winner for “Boyhood.”

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“When I was 17 I decided I wanted to be an actor. … I want to say to all you kids in the drama club, you kids are the real actors.” — Julianne Moore, leading actress winner for “Still Alice.”

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“It’s all a bit overwhelming. It’s like a white noise of euphoria. It’s a very wondrous sensation.” — Eddie Redmayne, leading actor winner for “The Theory of Everything.”

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“Actors love this movie for showing the courage actors have to kind of go out there and lay it on the line.” — Michael Keaton, who shared the cast in a motion picture award for “Birdman.”